I don't see how else we can figure out how the mind works properly if we don't even know how neural networks work.

To be frank, the current knowledge about neuroscience is unimpressive. We know that the brain's made of neurons. That's about it.

'Cognitive psychology' or whatever are never going to get us anywhere. The only way forwards is a brute force cracking of how the brain actually works.

Otherwise it's like trying to design a computer or figure out how one works with only the knowledge that 'it's made of transistors'.